The Need For Gender and Age Specific Life Skill Groups

Adolescent life skill groups can strengthen self-esteem, develop appropriate body image, and improve peer and adult relationships while providing a sense of unity and support for its members. By separating boys and girls, adolescent life skill groups encourage the easeful gender specific discussions. This research investigated the effectiveness of adolescent girls’ life skill groups on increasing self-esteem, developing appropriate body image, and improving both peer and romantic relationships. This research evaluated the results of a pre-test and post-test administered to 174 participants in a life skill group ran by Big Sisters of Rhode Island. This study found that the average pre-test was score was 74% and post-test score was 82%. This research also evaluated if, when asked, “What is the most important thing you learned”, the participants answered something that was a positive self-attribute such as, “believing in myself”, “not letting a boy tell me what to do”, “to have positive self-esteem.” Out of 269 participants, over a third responded to the question declaring a positive self-attribute

A Network Thermodynamic Game-Theoretic Approach to Modeling Amyloid-beta Aggregation Along Competing Pathways

The formation of large AB fibril plaques in the human brain is considered important to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD), as protein aggregation elsewhere in the body underpins many human ailments. Now however, low-molecular weight intermediate AB oligomers, more than large fibrils, are thought to be a primary precursor in early AD etiology. The main obstacle in the study of AD is the lack of understanding we have pertaining to the evolution of the disease in a living brain. For this reason, a thorough study of AB aggregation begs exploration. Prior conjectures and new experiments emphasize the interaction between AB and environmental catalysts which force aggregation to occur in alternative pathway mechanisms. These Off-pathway aggregates are being singled out as especially related to AD. It is this the goal of this study to better understand the origins of the Off-pathway kinetics and explore ways to control their aggregation. To such ends, we develop a reduced order (six species) chemical network model which captures the essential biophysical traits of the On­ and Off-pathway aggregation processes. We apply a game-theoretic approach to the mass­ action based complex dynamical system which represents the evolutions of healthy and toxic amyloid plaques. Numerical computations of the system help us determine the conditions under which like species in each of the pathways dominate. The pathway domination is aptly represented using a phase diagram. A very useful outcome of this phase analysis is the identification of specific reaction topologies, along which the dominant reactions occur. Of the eight individual network topologies identified, four end up as On-pathway fibrils while the other half end up as Off-pathway fibrils. The question we wish to address is if and how we can seek out interventions which can skew the dominant paths in our system, i.e. can we alter dominant network topologies to terminate in an On-pathway (a pathologically healthy state). This is mathematically performed by means of seeding by appropriate oligomers and fibrils which is seen to significantly change the observed phases. The presentation will provide details of the seeding studies and the favorable interventions. By varying the parameters and studying their interplay we can determine regimes where pathologically preferential paths are dominant. The network\u27s complexity gives rise to intense dependence on parameters and initial conditions. One further focus will be on studying thermodynamic properties of our network. We will examine quantities integral to the underlying chemical networks like free energy. We will also utilize tools of classic network thermodynamics to lend more understanding toward the stability and behavior of our model

An analysis of progressive addition spectacles lens design by the use of interferometry

Progressive addition spectacle lenses (PALs) have now become the method of choice for many presbyopic individuals to alleviate the visual problems of middle-age. Such lenses are difficult to assess and characterise because of their lack of discrete geographical locators of their key features. A review of the literature (mostly patents) describing the different designs of these lenses indicates the range of approaches to solving the visual problem of presbyopia. However, very little is published about the comparative optical performance of these lenses. A method is described here based on interferometry for the assessment of PALs, with a comparison of measurements made on an automatic focimeter. The relative merits of these techniques are discussed. Although the measurements are comparable, it is considered that the interferometry method is more readily automated, and would be ultimately capable of producing a more rapid result

Interrill Soil Erosion as Affected by Tillage Methods under Cotton in Greece

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is a paper from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 8 (2006): Interrill Soil Erosion as Affected by Tillage Methods under Cotton in Greece. Manuscript LW 05 006. Vol. VIII. February, 2006

Enhancing Civil Military Integration for Strategic Sealift

Our political and military leaders consider the efficient deployment and maintenance of personnel and hardware to be of equal importance to the task of planning the military operation. However, inasmuch as today’s military budgets are under great financial strain the military needs to rely on the civilian merchant navy for the provision of additional sealift capability. NATO acknowledges that member countries' ability to meet the politically desired levels of strategic sealift could be inadequate. Without a basic knowledge of the workings of the merchant navy, the military transportation desk officer cannot make an informed decision concerning the sealift capabilities required for strategic defence, humanitarian aid or refugee evacuation. This thesis reviews the range of militarily suitable commercial shipping and the different processes for chartering appropriate vessels while also considering the present state of civil/military synergies within NATO. It also examines the different types of insurance, including hull & machinery, third- party liability and commercial war-risks insurance and presents an overview of the problem of piracy. Its objective is to provide an introduction to the complex operational workings of the merchant navy for the military transportation officer. It is hoped that such knowledge could improve the sealift project not only in terms of operational effectiveness but also through increasing financial efficiency over a broad range of military and civil emergency maritime transportation services. Finally, two case studies are examined to demonstrate that there exists a plethora of solutions to the indicated challenges. A suggested handbook and flowchart are presented to assist in the implementation of this study's conclusions concerning the enhancement of acquired strategic sealift assets for defence, humanitarian aid or refugee evacuation

Visualizing stability in studies: the moving average meta-analysis (MA2)

Relative clinical benefits are often visually explored and formally analysed through a (cumulative) meta-analysis. In this manuscript, we introduce and further explore the moving average meta-analysis to aid towards the exploration and visualization of stability in a meta-analysis.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Deciphering the Nature of an Overlooked Rate‐Limiting Interphase in High‐Voltage LiNi0.5_{0.5}Mn1.5_{1.5}O4_4 Cathodes: A Combined Electrochemical Impedance, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Study

High-voltage cathode active materials, such as LiNi$_{0.5}$Mn$_{1.5}$O$_4$ (LNMO), are of major interest for the development of high-energy lithium-ion batteries. However, it has been reported that composite cathodes based on high-voltage active materials suffer from high impedances and low rate capabilities. The origin of the high impedances has not yet been clarified. Here, we use a combination of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FIB/SEM/EDX) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) for showing that in the case of LNMO-based cathodes, a major part of the cathode impedance is related to the formation of a passivating interphase on the Al current collector. Remarkably, the impedance of this interphase can be mitigated by the targeted formation of a distinct passivating interphase, namely on the surface of the LNMO particles. The interplay between these interphases is discussed

ZBTB7A (zinc finger and BTB domain containing 7A)

Review on ZBTB7A (zinc finger and BTB domain containing 7A), with data on DNA, on the protein encoded, and where the gene is implicated